2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 × 400g tins of black beans
750ml good-quality beef or chicken stock
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado
250g natural yoghurt
½ a bunch of coriander
2 limes
50g pumpkin seeds (or the seed mix here)
Place the peppers over a direct flame so that they char all over, turning them every couple of minutes (it should take around 10 minutes). When they are ready, pop them into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave for 5 minutes.
While the peppers are charring, prepare the soup. Cut the pork into 1-2cm chunks. Trim and shred the greens. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Trim and finely slice the celery. Finely chop the chipotle chilli.
Place a large pot on a medium heat and pour in a good drizzle of olive oil. Add the pork and fry for around 10 minutes, stirring often, until browned all over. Spoon the pork into a bowl and leave to one side. Reduce the heat and add the sliced celery, chopped onion and garlic and sauté gently for 10–15 minutes. Stir in the cumin, oregano and chipotle chilli and stir for 1–2 minutes more.
When the peppers are ready, rub off the blackened skin, remove the stalks and seeds and chop into 1.5cm pieces. Add them to the pot, along with the browned pork, the black beans – juices and all – and the stock. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Season and cover with the lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Halfway through, add the shredded greens and stir. Add a splash of water if it looks too thick.
While the soup is cooking, make the dressing. Halve the avocado, discard the stone, and scoop the flesh into a blender. Add the yoghurt, most of the coriander and the juice of both of the limes and blitz. Season to taste and keep to one side. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a frying pan, over a medium–low heat, for around 4–5 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Check the pork after an hour; it should be wonderfully tender. If not, give it a further 10–15 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls, and finish with a drizzle of the dressing, the seeds and remaining coriander.
PHO FOR ONE
Living in East London near an abundance of Vietnamese restaurants means pho has become a weekly staple in our house (and even prompted a trip to Vietnam). When I am cold/tired/hungry I want pho. It’s the childhood comfort food I never had. I’ve made proper phos, where beef bones are cooked for hours for a rich intense flavour, and there are lots of authentic recipes for that. However, I don’t always have the time, and I’m not the person to tell you how to do it. This is my sped-up version, a great ‘pho for one’ when you are home on your own and want to curl up with something delicious.
SERVES 1
1 small onion
a 2cm piece of ginger
650ml good-quality beef stock
1 star anise
1 small cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon fish sauce
100g flat medium-thick rice noodles
a handful of beansprouts
1 spring onion
½ a red chilli (bird’s-eye if you like it hot, regular for a normal heat)
150g rib-eye, or steak of your choice
groundnut or vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon golden caster sugar
a few sprigs of coriander, mint and Thai basil
½ a lime
sriracha, or other chilli sauce, to serve
Start by charring the onion and ginger. Place them both, unpeeled, over a direct flame on your hob and char them both for around 5-10 minutes, turning occasionally so they’re evenly burnt. If you don’t have a gas hob, you can do this under the grill. When they are ready, halve them and place in a medium-size saucepan with the stock, star anise, cinnamon stick and fish sauce. Gently bring the broth to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Leave it ticking away for 30 minutes.
While your broth is simmering, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions and refresh in cold water. Place them in your serving bowl. Wash the beansprouts thoroughly, trim and finely slice the spring onion and chilli. Place a small frying pan or griddle on a high heat. Rub the steak with a little oil, salt and pepper, then fry or griddle it for a couple of minutes on each side, until cooked to your liking. (Remember it will continue to cook in the hot broth, so it’s best to undercook it a little.) Leave it to rest for a few minutes, then slice it up.
When your broth is ready, stir in the sugar and season to taste, adding a little more fish sauce if needed. Turn the heat up to bring it to the boil again, then strain it into your serving bowl – you should end up with around 400ml of broth. Top with the sliced steak and add the beansprouts, spring onions and sliced chilli. Serve the herbs, lime half and sriracha on the side, and tuck in.
Pho for One
FENNEL AND SAUSAGE MUFFINS
These muffins make a fab accompaniment to most soups, but are also just a great snack on their own – especially if you are entertaining or having a picnic. And if you aren’t sure about savoury muffins? I still urge you to give them a go; they’re highly addictive, and my once cynical mother is now a total convert.
MAKES 12
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
200g good-quality sausages, Italian if possible
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
150ml olive oil
½ a bunch of spring onions
350g plain flour
1½ tablespoons baking powder
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
275ml full-fat milk
135ml buttermilk
200g mature Cheddar
a few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4 and line a muffin tray with cases.
Peel and finely grate or chop the garlic. Grind the fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle. Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat. Squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins and place in the pan, along with the garlic, chilli flakes, fennel seeds and a glug of olive oil. Break up with a wooden spoon, and fry until crisp and golden. Spoon the sausage meat on to a plate and leave to one side to cool.
Trim and finely slice the spring onions. Place most of them in a large bowl with the flour, baking powder and a good pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a jug whisk together the eggs, olive oil, milk and buttermilk.
Add most of the cooked and cooled sausage to the flour, and coarsely grate in most of the cheese. Make a well in the middle and pour in the wet ingredients, then pick and finely chop the parsley, add to the bowl and gently fold everything together. Try not to over-mix or you’ll end up with tough muffins – a few lumps are OK.
Divide the batter between the cases (you can do this in 2 batches if you only have 1 tray) and top with the remaining spring onions and sausage and grate over the remaining cheese. Bake the muffins for 18–20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked right through. Leave them in the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Fennel and Sausage Muffins
ROASTED SEED SPRINKLE
Dressed and roasted mixed seeds are a great way to pimp up most soups. They last for ages and are a good source of protein.
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 10 SERVINGS
1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
1 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds
1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g pumpkin seeds
75g sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 ½ teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
olive oil
Preheat your oven to 180°C/gas 4.
In a mortar and pestle grind the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds to a fine powder with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix with the rest of the seeds and the paprika and drizzle
with a good glug of oil. Toss together until coated, then place them well spread out on a baking tray so they are in one layer.
Pop the tray into the oven for 8 minutes, then give the seeds a jiggle and roast for 4–5 minutes more. Leave to cool completely, then store in a sealed container until needed – they’ll keep for at least a month. Perfect scattered over soups and even through salads.
Roasted Seed Sprinkle
QUICK GRIDDLED MULTIGRAIN FLATBREADS
I love how easy these wholesome, simple flatbreads are and they go with absolutely everything. They’re delicious, and filled with fibre – a much better alternative to store-bought bread.
MAKES 8
250g wholegrain flour
1 tablespoon oat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
275g natural yoghurt
Place a griddle pan on a high heat.
In a large mixing bowl mix together the flour, bran, baking powder and salt and whisk together until well combined. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yoghurt. Mix it in with a fork, so it is all combined, then turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface.
Knead for just a minute, to make sure it is well combined, then roll the dough into a sausage. Cut it in half, then cut each piece into 4. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, then, using a rolling pin, roll it out into a circle, around 1cm thick. Griddle each of the flatbreads for 2–3 minutes on each side, until charred and cooked through. Serve straight away, or wrap in foil and keep warm until they are all cooked.
Quick Griddled Multigrain Flatbreads
3
QUICK + LIGHT
As with most people, my hunger and willingness to cook goes up and down; some days I’m just not that hungry or I don’t have the energy, others my hunger is insatiable and I want to spend all day slaving over something incredible. The next two chapters reflect this. This chapter is made up of recipes that are easy to prepare, and some that are light and nutritious. I’m not claiming that all these dishes will make you look like a supermodel; however, here is a combination of quick dishes and recipes that are a little kinder on the waistline.
RECIPE LIST
LENTIL, FETA AND SPINACH FRITTERS
PUDLA
BROCCOLI, KALE AND GORGONZOLA TART WITH GRIDDLED PEARS
CREAMED GREENS ON TOAST WITH POACHED EGG AND DUKKAH
KIMCHI AND PRAWN OKONOMIYAKI
MISO TUNA SARNIE
MY FAVOURITE QUICK NOODLE BOWL
HERBY PUY LENTILS, GREENS AND SMOKED MACKEREL
LEMON SOLE WITH PRESERVED LEMON, CORIANDER AND CAPERS
POMEGRANATE CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH WALNUT AND PARSLEY PESTO
ROASTED STICKY PLUM CHICKEN WITH PICKLED CUCUMBER
ONE-PAN CREAMY SQUASH PASTA
SAUSAGE AND WILD GARLIC LINGUINE
ROASTED CHICKPEA, CAULIFLOWER AND SESAME LAMB
STICKY SPICED MEATBALLS, NOODLES AND PICKLED WATERMELON
BRESAOLA WITH SHAVED CELERIAC AND HAZELNUTS
LENTIL, FETA AND SPINACH FRITTERS
These Greek-style fritters are a perfect post-work meal; they’re easy, quick and full of good stuff (they also make a cracking starter). I’m addicted to their ease and simplicity and will often tweak the flavours with whatever I have to hand (goat’s cheese, chunks of halloumi, basil …).
SERVES 4 (MAKES 12)
½ bunch of dill
300g Greek yoghurt
1 small garlic clove
1 lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
200g baby leaf spinach
1 × 400g tin of brown lentils
2 large eggs
a few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
100g feta
75g breadcrumbs
Start by making the yoghurt dip. Pick the dill leaves and finely chop, then place half in a bowl with the Greek yoghurt. Peel and finely grate in the garlic, squeeze in the lemon juice and season well. Pour in a good glug of extra virgin olive oil and mix everything together, then leave to one side.
Pour a drizzle of oil into a large non-stick frying pan and pop on to a medium-low heat. Put the spinach into the pan and cover with a lid. Turn the heat down to low and just keep the spinach there long enough to wilt it down. As soon as it has wilted, pop it into a sieve and leave to one side to cool and drain out the liquid. Wipe the pan and leave it on one side.
Drain the lentils well and put into a food processor. Blitz for 30 seconds or so, until quite creamy, then add one of the eggs and blitz again until smooth. Spoon into a bowl and add the rest of the dill, the remaining egg and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Chop the parsley leaves, crumble the feta and add to the bowl along with the breadcrumbs. Squeeze out the excess liquid from the spinach and chop it up. Add to the bowl and mix everything together well.
Place the frying pan back on a medium heat and add enough olive oil to just cover the base. Using a dessertspoon, scoop up spoonfuls of the lentil mixture and gently place them in the hot oil, flattening them slightly. Fry for 4 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through.
Serve the fritters hot, with the dill dip and a green salad on the side.
Lentil, Feta and Spinach Fritters
PUDLA
Pudla is an incredible Indian pancake, made with chickpea flour (also known as gram flour). Being gluten and dairy free, it’s a great vegan dish, as chickpeas are a good source of protein and will help give you all the nutrients needed for a well-rounded diet. And even if you’re not vegan or vegetarian then it’s still a delicious and healthy quick meal.
SERVES 4
1 red onion
½ a lemon
½ a green chilli
½ a bunch of coriander
½ teaspoon ground coriander
a good pinch of turmeric
250g gram flour
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
3 ripe tomatoes
1 ripe avocado
50g rocket
groundnut oil
good-quality mango chutney
Peel and halve the onion, finely slice half of it, and place in a bowl for the salad. Squeeze the lemon juice over it, mix together and leave to one side. Finely chop the remaining onion half, deseed and finely chop the green chilli and place both in a mixing bowl. Chop the coriander and add most of it to the mixing bowl along with the ground coriander, turmeric, gram flour and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-low heat and toast the cumin seeds just for a minute to release their flavour. Add to the bowl with the other ingredients and mix everything together well. Pour in around 300ml of cold water, just enough to make a thin batter that coats the back of your spoon, and whisk together well.
Finish off the salad before you start frying the pancakes. Halve the tomatoes and remove the seeds, then slice into strips. Halve, destone and peel the avocado, then chop into chunks. Add the avocado and tomato to the bowl of sliced onion and toss. You want the avocado to break down and become creamy. Add the remaining chopped coriander and the rocket, and season before tossing together.
Preheat your oven to 150°C/gas 2. Put the same large non-stick pan back on a medium heat and pour in a little drizzle of groundnut oil. I like to spread it around the pan with a piece of kitchen paper, to make sure it is minimal. Pour a ladleful of the batter into the pan, just enough to coat and make a thin pancake, and cook for 2–3 minutes, until golden on one side. Flip over, cook for a further minute, then remove from the pan. Either serve straight away or keep the cooked pancakes warm by wrapping them in foil, as a stack, and putting them in the warm oven.
Serve the pudla with a tablespoon of chutney and filled with the salad.
Pudla
BROCCOLI, KALE AND GORGONZOLA TART WITH GRIDDLED PEARS
This is a wonderfully simple tart that’s achievable in not much time at all. The filo makes
it lighter than most tarts, with no need for blind baking. However, do leave the tart to rest and firm up a little once it has come out the oven, or the filling will just ooze out as you cut it.
SERVES 6
200g tenderstem or purple sprouting broccoli
6 sprigs of thyme
150g natural yoghurt
150g crème fraîche
3 large eggs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
75g kale
30g almonds
1 garlic clove
olive oil
250g filo pastry
60g Gorgonzola
3 Conference pears
runny honey
Preheat your oven to 180°C/gas 4. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Trim the broccoli stalks and place them in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, leaving the colander or sieve over the steaming pan to steam dry. Then transfer to a piece of kitchen paper to help get rid of any moisture.
Pick the thyme leaves. Place in a large mixing bowl with the yoghurt, crème fraîche, eggs and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Finely grate in the lemon zest and whisk everything together.
Discard any woody stalks from the kale and place the leaves in a food processor. Add the almonds and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Peel and roughly chop the garlic and add also, with a few good glugs of olive oil. Blitz to a fine paste, adding a little more olive oil if the pesto is too thick.
Use a pastry brush to lightly oil a deep loose-bottomed tart tin, around 24cm in diameter. Layer the filo sheets over the base, overlapping them and leaving a slight overhang around the edge, and brushing them with olive oil between the layers as you go. Spoon the kale pesto into the case and spread it out evenly. Pour in the crème fraîche mixture, then line up the blanched broccoli stems. Cut the Gorgonzola into small chunks and dot around the top of the tart. Scrunch any overhanging pastry to create a rim. Place the tin on a baking sheet and bake at the bottom of the oven for 35–40 minutes, until the pastry is golden, the veg poking out is crispy and the filling is just set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for at least 10–15 minutes before removing and slicing.
Stirring Slowly Page 6
